[3:21 PM] Amasuro: Fort Ikkigane
Well, no time like the present. Time to stretch my legs out, before I get too rusty. Can't have that happening now, can I?
Stretching from her bed, Luna swung her legs off her bed and planted them firmly against the stone floor energetically. And, after preparing herself and her gear, took one confident step outside of her room, only to run into a friendly face.
"Uagh, milady! Are you headed somewhere?" A startled Mana greeted her.
"Why, yes! And a good morning to you, Mana. Today is the day I planned to get out there and rewarm my combat abilities before they became too cold. Well, of course I'm still amazing even if I was rusty, but you know..."
"Milady, the sun sets in probably three hours."
"...Wait, seriously?"
"Yes. And in any case, I do not feel comfortable with you leaving out on your own," Mana held both her hands together in a ball, "you are aware of what was discovered, right? It might be dangerous out there, milady."(edited)
[3:32 PM] Mistral: "So someeeeeone neeeeds to go with heeeer.... Why not meeee then?"
The small figure emerged from behind Luna, a dull grin etched on her face as always.
"Youuuu maaay doouubt Luna, but I will keeeeep her saafe."
Auriel's eyes held no ill intentions, but they had an almost... mischevious look to them. It was well complimented by the pink-purplish gem embedded on a brooch on her new reconstructed outfit.
[3:39 PM] Amasuro: Luna stumbled forwards into Mana at Auriel's first words, turning around frantically to confront the maid.
"You! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Luna gasped, pointing a finger at Auriel.
"Oh, Auriel! Good timing, you can accompany milady then. I still have tasks to attend to here," Mana nodded, smiling at Auriel while she held onto Luna's shoulders.
"...What? Me? Her? Mana, I am an expert assassin and can handle myself, thank you very much. I don't need her to watch my back."
[3:49 PM] Mistral: "Awwwwww.... But I am the best.... And I want to play tooooooo...."
She was audibly saddened by the remark. Or at least it looked like she was. Nobody could ever really tell what she really thought.
"Come oooooon.... Even Mamaaa agreeees....."
[4:03 PM] Amasuro: "It would be for the best, milady. You are aware of the...umm...gruesome bodies found back in Yuki Jyorou, yes?" Mana asked, her voice quiet.
"Yeah, sure, what about them? Just some roving bandits or something. Look Mana, you can't worry about every little murder that happens. Its a fact of life. I don't need to be coddled."
"...Buuuut Auriel wants to go with you."
"Yeah, well..." Luna glances up and glares at Auriel, "tch, if we run into whoever mutilated those bodies and I can't deal with them, we're probably dead anyway."
"Milady!"(edited)
[4:10 PM] Mistral: "Buuuuut im goooood....."
Auriel pouted, completely desentisized to all talk of the murders in Yuki Jyorou. She knew who did it anyway, so it wasn't scary.
"I caaaan beeeaaat yoouuu.... I alsoooo found a neeew weapon, I waaaanna have fun...."
[4:14 PM] Amasuro: "I don't want you to beat me! Why are you beating me?!"
"...Milady just take her with you, she scares me." Mana whispered in Luna's ears.
"What did you say?"
"Oh! Umm...nothing, just that...I'm very busy, so I'll leave you two to that. Please take Auriel with you, okay milady?" Mana speaks quickly, before shuffling off down the hallway.
[4:21 PM] Mistral: "Seeeeee youuu Maaaaaaaamaaa!"
Auriel waved lazily at Mana as she went off, probably happy to be alone again with Luna
"Soooooooo..... Want to go have fun now?"
She stopped dragging on the vovels, and smiled mischeviously at Luna
[4:25 PM] Amasuro: A chill went down the back of Luna's spine, as if her instincts began to kick in at the switch in her voice. Though, it wasn't like Luna trusted the maid very significantly in the first place.
"No, I'm not planning to go have fun, whatever your creepy definition of that word is. I planned to go...maybe practice around the grounds, or find an odd job to do. You know, normal stuff like that."
[4:29 PM] Mistral: "But we can do normal stuff. It's still fun, riiiight?"
She put a finger on her chin and leaned towards Luna
"Or did you want to do something.... else. Like testing your combat abilities."
[4:35 PM] Amasuro: Agh, you creepy little-
"No, no thats fine. I'm fine. Are you fine? I'm fine. Come on, lets just go...find some kind of job to do. You like those, right?"
[4:41 PM] Mistral: "Im fine. Jobs are fun. But I thought we were testing combat abilities."
Her teasing tone picked up towards the end of the sentence, as her grin only widened.
"Or did I mishear you? Running away from responsibilities under the guise of training?"
[4:44 PM] Amasuro: "I am doing no such thing! How dare you suggest that," Luna crossed her arms, still glaring towards Auriel, "someone like you shouldn't be lecturing me on running away from responsibilities, anyhow."(edited)
[4:48 PM] Mistral: "But you are my responsibilities. I just have to watch over you." She backed off, grinning back at the pouty princess.
"I just want to have some fun, playing with my new toy."
[4:50 PM] Amasuro: "Okay. Goodness me you are freaking creepy, but...agh whatever. Come on, lets just go take a job or something. Surely there's something to fight around here."
Luna shifted her feet away from Auriel, before quickly shuffling down the hallway in the opposite direction, constantly peering over her shoulder.
[4:54 PM] Mistral: "I will take that as a compliment, majesty."
Auriel walked at a fast pace after her, grinning wickedly all the same
[5:00 PM] Amasuro: Once Luna left the building she had been in, she immediately tries to navigate towards a bulletin board she had remembered seeing on the few walks she had taken around the compound. Tries, being the key word here.
[5:00 PM] Amasuro: Now...I forgot where that thing was. But...she can't know that.
[5:00 PM] Amasuro: Luna stops in her tracks, looking around.
[5:11 PM] Mistral: Auriel stops behind her, tilting her head curiously.
"Whaaat aaare you loooking fooooooor?"
Her main interest was back on the gem on her brooch though, the amethyst shining with a latent energy
[3:37 PM] Amasuro: "Just waiting for you, of course. If you didn't drag your feet so much, I wouldn't have to wait for so long. Now come."
Luna picks a direction at random and begins to walk along the perimeter of the fort.
[3:48 PM] Mistral: "Are you suuuuuuure this is the way?"
Auriel kept close, sometimes sprinting a bit so she could keep up with her small stature
"I dooont know if it is heeeere....."
[3:51 PM] Amasuro: "What, the bulletin board? Nonsense, it is this way!"
Luna places a hand on her chest, as she continues walking, "do you mock my knowledge of this fort?"(edited)
[3:52 PM] Mistral: "Maaaaaaaaybeee...... You are maaaybe tiiired?"
Auriel still keeps up with her, almost tripping over her own legs once, but manages to save herself.
[4:33 PM] Amasuro: Luna doesn't notice Auriel nearly tripping behind her.
"Tired? I just woke up! I'm not tired already. Now shut the backseat commentary."
[4:43 PM] Mistral: "Buuut its fuuuuun..."
She sticks to her side, looking around for the bulletin board.
"Hey..... Areee we theeeere yet?"
[12:27 AM] Amasuro: "Yes, just a bit fur- yo, personal space! Come on!"
Luna inches slightly away from Auriel as she continues walking. Auriel might have noticed that the pair had already walked halfway around the outside of the forts parameter already.
[12:30 AM] Mistral: "Buuuut...... There is nothiiiiing heeeereee..... Are you suuuuure you went the riiight way?"
Auriel ignored her requests for personal space, instead simply stalking her uncomfortably close to her back.
[12:31 AM] Amasuro: "Of course I a- there, see?"
Luna points ahead of her, towards a bulletin board planted firmly next to one of the forts exits. Numerous papers and sheets of various sizes are pinned against the board.
"This was what I was looking for," Luna speaks confidently as she approaches.
[12:34 AM] Mistral: "Yaaay..... Lumaa did something riiiiiight!"
A sarcastic grin spread across her face as she said the last word, with her enjoying taunting Luna more than anything sometimes.
"Caaan we doooooo somethiiiing now?"
[12:42 AM] Amasuro: She is...grating on me...a lot. ...Why do I tolerate her again?
"Yeah, yeah, sure. Just...find something on here, or something."
Luna looks up at the board, glancing at one piece of paper.
Defeat large mons- ...HOW MANY FEET?!
Before glancing away quickly, "just make sure you find something that isn't completely impossible, alright? Not like I couldn't do it or anything, but because someone'll probably chew me out when we get back."
[12:57 AM] Mistral: "Naaaah.... We can do aaaaanything......"
Auriel lazily picked a random quest from the middle of the board, with a picture detailing some sort of worm-like-creature.
"Undiscovereeed dangerous animal..... Deadly spikes. Seven huuuuundred and tweeenty........... Maaaaaybe not anything...... Uhhhh.... Thiiiiis?"
She threw away the other piece of paper, picking a new one with a picture of a rugged man on, with multiple scars across his face, and a black beard reminiscent of a pirate.
"Bandiiit...... Does nooot care if heee is deaad or alive...... souuuunds like its eaaaasy enough...."
[1:01 AM] Amasuro: Luna's heart twisted for a moment on the mention of bandit.
"Gimme that," she asks, snatching the paper up from Auriel's hands and reading the sheet.
"Huh, oh, geez this is one ugly dude. Apparently its a group of bandits that has been harassing trade going through a road nearby. Yeah, I suppose this one shouldn't be too bad. So what're we doing, dead or alive?"
[1:12 AM] Mistral: "Carrying him baaack would be annoying......"
[1:12 AM] Mistral: As if it was an answer, Auriel's grin widened, anticipating quite the mess
[1:13 AM] Mistral: "Doooo we have to leaaave the ooothers alive?"
[1:21 AM] Amasuro: Luna looked up from the paper, glancing at Auriel's face, before stuffing the paper in her pocket.
"Tch, someone seems excited. A lifes a life, you know. We don't have to take it if we don't need to. ...Well, the reward seems the same either way, but..."
[1:29 AM] Mistral: "Tooo muuuuch woooork.... He alreaady broke the laaw too..... Buut whatever you say...."
The grin dissapeared again, with her going back to a lazy neutral stare.
"So........ Wanna goooooo?"
[1:42 AM] Amasuro: "Yes I want to go. Just..." Luna pulled the paper out of her pocket and narrowed her eyes at it.
"You, uh, know where Bellchime Trail is? Seems obscure. Apparently its where these bandits usually attack passing caravans."
[1:50 AM] Mistral: "Uh....Noooo... But it sooounds uhhh.... I dooon't knoow.."
She put a finger to her chin, thinking if she ever had heard of this "bellchime trail". She found an astonishing total of zero results.
"Uh.... Maaaybe we can fiiind something on it elseeewheeere?"
[1:52 AM] Amasuro: "Useful. I'd ask someone here, but I don't want to get chewed out for going off to fight a camp of bandits."
Luna stuffed the paper back into her pocket, and looked towards the forts exit.
"Might be a sign out there. Wanna just wing it?"
[1:58 AM] Mistral: "Yeeeaaah... I should be able to find tracks if weeee are on the right traail...."
She walked off haphazardly in a direction, before turning to Luna again
"Its prooooobably heeere...."
[2:01 AM] Amasuro: "...Where is here? We're just left the fort. Are you telling me this trail is nearby?"
Luna puts her hands on her hips, unamused as she followed Auriel.
"I doubt its that easy."
[2:19 AM] Mistral: "I think it is though.... Inituition says so... and im ALWAYS correct... most of the time.."
[2:20 AM] Mistral: She looked questioningly at Luna, before continuing
[2:20 AM] Mistral: "Do youuuu have any ideeeas?"(edited)
[2:27 AM] Amasuro: "...No. Well, my best idea was to just walk...straight down this way. And, uh, maybe we'll run into a sign or something. Or...a merchant. Or even..."
"Does milady require assistance?" A voice speaks up suddenly, as two soldiers in full armor approach the pair, from the fort. They seem to be the two soldiers that were standing guard beside the entrance.
"Huh? Oh, me? Well uhh..."
Wonder if they'll tell Joshua or something if this Bellchime trail is far away.
"Nope! I don't require any help. I was just," Luna suddenly grabs Auriel's arm and puts her hand around her shoulder, "taking a casual stroll outside the fort with my maid here!"
[2:15 PM] Mistral: "But Luuuuuuumaaaa..... Wereeeen't we going to aaaask them where to find the plaaace?"
Auriel did not follow along with Luna's lies, but maintained the look of questioning innocence on her face. The guards couldn't be that bad, could they?
[2:23 PM] Amasuro: "Hmm? Did you require assistance, milady Lunarea?" The guard asked.
"We are very knowledgable about this area." The other guard perked up.
...Guh you stupid maid fox thing-!
"Well uh, yes, umm...well I was just curious where, uhh, Bellchime trail was." Luna asked, her eyes wavering.
"...Bellchime trail? A rather dangerous place at the present time, and quite a good distance from the fort. Did you intend to go all the way there?" The guard questions.
[2:38 PM] Mistral: "Weee can handle it..... Its fiiiiiine..."
Auriel dismissively waved a hand at the guards, smiling.
"Luna is stroooong.... and since im protectiiiing heeer, we are fiiiiiine!"
[2:45 PM] Amasuro: "Yep! And by we, I mean..." Luna grabs Auriel by the shoulders and holds her in front of her, "...she's going to the trail with my retainer and they'll do it! I'm just, giving moral support until we leave."
The guards both look at each other with puzzled looks, before turning back to Luna, nodding, "Bellchime trail is just down this road. Take a left after the second hill, and there should be a sign pointing towards it. Shouldn't be more than a fifty minute walk."
"Great! Thanks!" Luna immediately shoves Auriel away from the guards.
[2:51 PM] Mistral: "Luuuuuuuumaaaaaa........ This is why you dooon't have frieeends....."
Auriel made no resistance, simply standing still and waiting for Luna to finish talking to the guards
[2:59 PM] Amasuro: Luna hides her distain at Auriel's comment, as she she quickly waves towards the two guards before pushing Auriel down the path. "You brat, I have many friends! What are you talking about?!"
[3:15 PM] Mistral: "Saaalveon does not count as many"
A smug grin spread across her face, almost as a soft taunt
"Unless Mamaaa and I count as your frieeends, that is"
[3:38 PM] Amasuro: The pair walked quickly away from the fort as they continued to talk.
"Well of course the two of you count! ...Actually wait, wait, no you don't get the wrong idea okay? You...strange thing are not part of my inner circle, got it?"
[3:54 PM] Mistral: "Aaaaam I? Hehehehehe..."
[3:55 PM] Mistral: The short giggle cut off once she smiled back to Luna
[3:55 PM] Mistral: "Soooo can we be best friiiieeeends then?"
[3:56 PM] Amasuro: "No, no we cannot be best friends! Ew, no!"
Luna hops forward, slightly increasing the distance between her and Auriel.
[3:57 PM] Mistral: "Awwwwwww..... Okaay theeen...."
She sighs, her sadness clearly discernable.
"Wheeen can we geeet to the fuun part..."
[3:59 PM] Amasuro: "When we get there, you dolt. ...Hey, stop making a game out of killing people, its disturbing me."
Luna turns her head towards Auriel, scowling at her, before looking forward again.
"Uh, left after the second hill, right? Wait, were you counting?"
[4:03 PM] Mistral: "Uh.... Noooo... Can we just go leeeeft now theeeeen?"
Auriel preemtively slowed down, so Luna made some distance between them before the childlike kitsune dashed back to her side.
[4:07 PM] Amasuro: "So we can just get lost again? I don't have the intention of starving to death out here, you know."
Though, I wonder how Kitsune meat tastes like...
"Fine, look, there's a path up there leading left. That's probably the right one. Maybe." Luna speaks, pointing ahead.
[4:17 PM] Mistral: "Proooobably.... Mayyyybe... Yeeeaaah."
Auriel ran over and looked down the path
"Yeeaaah... This is a Bellchime Traaaaaaail if ive ever seeen onee....."
[4:23 PM] Amasuro: "...What? What the hell is a Bellchime Trail even supposed to look like, its just a name!"
Luna spun around to glare at Auriel, now walking backwards slightly.
[4:38 PM] Mistral: "Uh.... It has... lots of leaves? Youu know....."
She walked back, pulling at Luna's sleeve
"Come oooon.... It will be fuuuuuun."
[7:12 PM] Amasuro: Luna allows herself to be dragged slightly, walking along with Auriel.
"Fine, but don't even think for a second that I trust your sense of direction. If it even exists."
[2:25 PM] Mistral: "It doeeees...... better than yours."
She pointed down the path somewhat energetically
"Seeeee? Thiiiis is the way...."
[2:29 PM] Amasuro: Ahead of the pair, Luna's eyes falls towards a small sign along the side of the road, reading 'Bellchime Trail'.
"Lucky guess," Luna spat, shaking her arm free from Auriel. She distances herself slightly away from the maid.
[2:37 PM] Mistral: "Naaaaah. I totally saw it..... Wanna looook for those bandits?"
A small light shimmered in one of her fangs, revealed at the edge of her mouth
"Im suuuuuure they wont expect us..."
[2:41 PM] Amasuro: "Ugh, yeah yeah. Well? How about you use your little sense of direction and go luck yourself into the bandit camp again."
Luna stopped in her tracks, turning to face Auriel with her hands on her hips.
"For all we know, they might not even be based here. They just come all the way here to rob shit from people."
[3:10 PM] Mistral: "Eh. We are twooooo. Of course they'd rob us if we walked past."
She raised her hands, revealing no weapons or anything that can be used as weaponry. The pink sapphire gleamed in the darkness, seemingly being its own source of lighting.
"And we have bait too. Two 'helpless little maidens with a valuable gem'. Oh the humanity."
The vowels stopped dragging again. Auriel meant buisness
[8:07 PM] Amasuro: There it is again. Is she actually sleepy all the time? I never really bought it, but everytime I start to believe it...
"Fine, fine, I'll just use myself as ba-...that sounds really dangerous, don't you think?! Stray arrow? Assassins from the bushes? I mean, not like I'd fall to a dumb ambush like that or anything but its still worth noting, right? Right?"
[8:10 PM] Mistral: "Heh. Its simple enough to hear if they are there. Just stay quiet, and they give themselves away. And who knows? Maybe they don't even have that."
As she said "hear" her ears perked up, underlining her point.
"I can smell a trace of blood in the air. Someone has been careless here."
[8:15 PM] Amasuro: Luna leaves a hand on top her sheathed dagger on her back, her senses alerting as she tried to sense any dangers nearby.
This isn't good, we're really open out here. From the trees? The ground? How trained are these bandits in ambush tactics?
"What, did they hunt a rabbit and leave the body out?" Luna jokes, though her voice sounds more tense than it usually was.
[8:35 PM] Mistral: "Human blood has a....... familiar trace. Its easy to follow.... I would advise keeping your eyes and ears open milady. There is much more to this path than what meets the eye."
She moved forward ears perked, listening for any sound that could indicate someone being in the bushes.....
A hundred metres or so ahead...
The three scouts were sitting in the bushes, silently looking down the path for trespassers. Even though it was a known area for bandit raids, some daring idiots still liked to venture through it.
Suddenly, one came running to the others, doing his best to cause no sounds.
"Aeth! Seth! My brothers, I think i spotted someone."
His whisper was quitet, but his excitement was clear. A voice responded to him, seemingly behind him.
"Tell us where they are, and where they are going. Are they daredevils?"
"No. One of them looks pretty confident about taking the path. They both seem fairly easy to ambush though. What should we do?"
"Wait for them. Its obvious."
The far bigger man revealed himself from the greenery, his big axe shimmering in the dull light. The dried blood on the rusty edges told of the demise of someone who had gotten careless, or perhaps just kidnapped and led to their turf.
"A head on approach may be better though. What if they decide to back off?"
"Simple. Leth, cover their escape. Me and Aeth here will wait and ambush them as they move past."
"Got it bro!"
Leth snuck his way back to his initial vantage spot near the entrance to the path.
"Aeth, you come over here. Once they pass "the" pebble, we jump on them. Got it?"
Aeth nodded. He was used to the strategy by now, wait until they pass the "death pebble" then jump on them. It had worked before on bigger groups, why wouldn't it work now. He positioned himself with his hand ready to grab the sword from his sheath.
[8:44 PM] Amasuro: Luna ceased her conversation, trying to continue forward as casually as possible to lower the guards of whoever Auriel might have sensed. Trusting that Auriel had most of her senses trained forward, Luna focused herself on the areas to the side and behind her, as so to avoid getting picked off by some stray arrow.
And as an assassin, I know better than anyone.
Assassins are the absolute WORST.
Ugh.
[9:23 PM] Mistral: Auriel continued forward, taking note of all the noteworthy markers along the road. Things that could be used to organize an ambush. Two plants that may have formed a bit of a connection between each other. Tree trunks. Rocks of different noteworthy sizes. She approached a stop in the road, taking a deep breath in when she felt the smell. The smell of human blood. Her disarming grin only grew wider as she slowly could make out the general area it came from. Someone had taken a bath in blood, because the smell reeked to the point where it overrode any other natural smell in the area.
She shrugged, before nonchalantly speaking out again.
"So..... Whoever you are, I don't think you have uh.... taken a bath in a while. I can smell you~"
Meanwhile, in the bushes
*What!? Who is this girl!? She must be guessing, in that case. There's no way..... Wait a minute."
Seth took notice of the massive bushy tail and the two ears. His grin immediately returned, as he whispered to Aeth.
I heard Kitsune fur sold for a lot. We may have a fortune here.
Well, I don't know boss. Didn't she smell us?
Do you really believe such rubbish? Its impossible. She is just messing with us.
Auriel lazily stretched, before opening her mouth again.
"Luuuuuuuuuuunaaaaa....... Think we may have foooouuund theeeem!"
[9:40 PM] Amasuro: "Right!"
Her ears perking up at the sound of the distinct whispering in the bush near them, Luna bends her stance down to one more poised. Almost feral. With a flash of insane speed, she darts off and vanishes into the mess of bushes and trees. There is no longer a trace of the girl once she vanishes.
Heh, assassins are the absolute worst.
[9:53 PM] Mistral: "Eheheh....... As for me and my market value? Not for sale, sorry."
An eeriee haze entered the area as the stone embedded on her brooch glowed again. The small pink gem glowed again as more mist coiled around her, until it formed a cocoon-like formation around her body. It quickly dispersed, coating the area in a light haze. Auriel, however was nowhere to be seen. Her giggling could still be hear however, the only clue that she was still in the area.
The bandits darted onto the road, looking for where the two girls dissapeared off to. Seth swung his huge axe around wildly and swore.
"Where did they go! Teth, get over here and help us!"
But nobody came.....
[1:24 AM] Amasuro: Eagh, whoa, the hell was that? Did she...oh geez, I don't know what the hell to expect out of this maid anymore.
...I'm not even sure if she's loyal to me.
The bush twitched, as Luna hesitated her next move, hiding in the shadows.
Ugh, dammit Luna focus. Nows not the time to distract myself with that shit.
To make sure her mistake wasn't notice, Luna quickly shifted cover, darting multiple times within the trees.
"Where did we go? Eh...heheheh-! I wonder! Oh...I wonder!" Luna's voice echoes over the treetops.
[4:24 PM] Mistral: Auriel's voice briefly followed, although it had an almost.... otherworldly echo to it? The haze didn't lift either.
"Heeeeeeey..... Im better at hide and seek than you Luma."
[4:26 PM] Mistral: It was briefly followed by rustling in leaves in multiple places. Leth was watching from afar, stringing his bow properly and looking towards the relatively small "clearing" in the path. The ghastly haze made it difficult to see where he was aiming, so he was content with not firing until he had a clear shot.
"Damn itl"
He silently swore to himself, moving into the haze, closer to where the others were.
[4:30 PM] Amasuro: Through the haze, Luna made her first move, appearing and descending on Leth the bowman. Daggers drawn, she shoots downwards like a diving hawk, slashing immediately straight down the mans back as she lands.
[4:37 PM] Mistral: "Argh!"
He quickly dropped the bow, and tried to pull a dagger from his belt as his back arced backwards in pain. He slashed wildly into the mist, before something lunged at him with destructive force. He was knocked back into a tree, and the world went dark before he could see what hit him. "Leth! LEEEEETH!" The massive axe man stood back to back with his sword wielding brother, looking intensely into the mist trying to make out the location of their enemies. "Boss, we need to go over there! They are probably fighting him still!" Aeth preemptively ran over in the direction of the scream "Watch your six, you moron! I can't watch it for you at this rate!" Seth dashed after him, waving his axe around like a baby waving a new toy around(edited)
He quickly dropped the bow, and tried to pull a dagger from his belt as his back arced backwards in pain. He slashed wildly into the mist, before something lunged at him with destructive force. He was knocked back into a tree, and the world went dark before he could see what hit him. "Leth! LEEEEETH!" The massive axe man stood back to back with his sword wielding brother, looking intensely into the mist trying to make out the location of their enemies. "Boss, we need to go over there! They are probably fighting him still!" Aeth preemptively ran over in the direction of the scream "Watch your six, you moron! I can't watch it for you at this rate!" Seth dashed after him, waving his axe around like a baby waving a new toy around(edited)
[4:41 PM] Amasuro: Luna hesitated, retreating backwards immediately after her victims body was violently lunged at by something else Luna could barely make out before it disappeared once more into the mist.
Ngh, what was that?! An animal? Damn, there shouldn't be any cougers or the like around here at this time, but shit that was even faster than one!
She retreated back into the treetops, darting between branches to remain hidden as she circled around her prey. The two bandits before her still barely visible in the mist as she tried to regain awareness of her surroundings. In the thick fog however, it was difficult.
[5:09 PM] Mistral: "Leth! My man!"
Aeth sunk down to one knee, picking up Leth. He was bleeding heavily from a wound in his head, but he still breathed. "Aeth, you idiot! They are still here!" "Boss, we can't win! We can't find them, even less hit them!" "Aeth, stop! We are bandits! We will kill these two mercenary girls, no doubt about it." To illustrate a point, he slammed his axe into the tree next to them, felling it across the path. It opened up a clear spot, but the mists where still thick. "COME OUT HERE, COWARDS! I WILL PERSO-" His mouth was quickly shut by something soft slapping him across the face.
Aeth sunk down to one knee, picking up Leth. He was bleeding heavily from a wound in his head, but he still breathed. "Aeth, you idiot! They are still here!" "Boss, we can't win! We can't find them, even less hit them!" "Aeth, stop! We are bandits! We will kill these two mercenary girls, no doubt about it." To illustrate a point, he slammed his axe into the tree next to them, felling it across the path. It opened up a clear spot, but the mists where still thick. "COME OUT HERE, COWARDS! I WILL PERSO-" His mouth was quickly shut by something soft slapping him across the face.
[6:38 PM] Amasuro: Luna held her attack, finally noticing the other creature that stalked the battlefield beside her and the bandits.
Is that...some sort of fox? No, wait thats a Kitsune-!
She hung back, watching as the Kitsune brushed its tail against the bandits face.
Should I help it? Wait, was it that thing that helped me out earlier?
...Wait a second.
...Where's Auriel?
...Oh come on, you never told me you could do that-!
Luna flipped a dagger directly towards the axe wielding barbarian, before diving out of cover herself.
[6:55 PM] Mistral: It plunged into the man's left shoulder, and he screamed in pain. Dropping his axe to rip the knife out was his second mistake. Auriel dashed over and bit him in the leg, her serrated bladelike teeth causing an open bleeding wound in his leg. He swore loudly, before falling onto his leg again. He ripped off a part of his shirt, binding it arround the wound. The gray-black fox grinned at him, the small "teeth" on her teeth shining in the dull light.
"That was fun. Want to play mooooooore mister? Im sure my best friend Luuuuma wants to play tooooo...."
She sat down, licking her paw like any other old house cat, while Seth gazed back at her, a fire in his eyes.
"Gah, I'll kill the both of you!"
As his brother shouted, Aeth pulled his sword too, charging recklessly with tears in his eyes.
[7:04 PM] Amasuro: Luna now stood on the ground, in plain view of the bandits. Keeping a subtle eye on the Kitsune nearby, Luna quickly unsheathed the sword on her hip.
"There doesn't have to be more blood shed here-!" Luna shouted uselessly towards the group.
Though, I suppose that isn't much fun.
Her sword met Aeth's, parrying it slightly before stepping away deftly from the mans strike.
[7:24 PM] Mistral: Aeth shouted a savage battle cry, chopping wildly at Luna in an attempt to avenge his fallen brother. His chops were fierce, but lacked precision and aim, as they were all fueled by simple hate and a desire for vengeance.
Meanwhile, Seth was wildy chopping after Auriel, but she proved too dexterious for the slow crippled axeman to hit.
[4:32 AM] Amasuro: Luna deftly avoided Aeth's sloppily done attacks, keeping light on her feet as she bounced away from the man. Though, her face didn't seem to be mocking the man. She was, instead, quite serious. Luna continued to hold her sword up, keeping her distance.
An unpredictable opponent...can't take risks. I need to...try not to do that very often. Ech, this dudes pretty dangerous anyway.
She kept a side eye out for the Kitsune, who seemed to be stalling the axeman.
[3:37 PM] Mistral: The axeman hit the ground next to Auriel, his axe getting partially stuck in the ground. Seth attempted to pull it out, but he accidentally put weight on his wounded leg, sending him plummeting to the ground swearing and holding his knee. The kitsune seized the oppurtunity, jumping on the man's back and biting him in the back of the neck. He wasnt completely done though, as he managed to get ahold of her tail, attempting to drag her off him. A yelp sounded from the kitsune, before it bit down harder with a ferocious strength, as a fountain of blood erupted from his neck.
His moments suddenly stopped...
Meanwhile Aeth was continously slashing in Luna's direction but after hearing Seth's scream, he turned around, his concentration and resolve dissapearing once he saw the blood-coated kitsune standing on the corpse of his fallen brother
[3:41 PM] Amasuro: Seizing the chance that had opened up, Luna immediately took an aggressive step forwards, slashing diagonally upwards across the mans chest.
Once contact was successful, she followed it up immediately with a stabbing thrust directly through the mans chest. A trickle of blood bleeding from his wound as Luna ran her sword straight through the man.
Distractions can be fatal, you know.
She pulled the sword out immediately, turning to where the scream sounded as the man fell at her feet.
[3:46 PM] Mistral: Auriel licked a paw, still sitting atop the corpse of the leader.
"That was fun wasn't it? This ability was a looooooot of fun to try out too."
The mist coiled around her again. As the regular old Auriel appeared again, the haze dissapeared, like shadows to the light.
"Buuuuut it was tiring enough.... And those people didn't taste very well at all..."
[3:49 PM] Amasuro: Luna's breathing remained erratic as she watched Auriel transform back to her maid self. Slowly, she sheathed her sword as she stared at the girl.
"Y'know, you could have mentioned to me you could transform before."
[3:51 PM] Mistral: "If I knew I could, I would. I have never succeeded with it before now."
Auriel tugged a bit at her brooch where the beaststone was, the mystical artifact glowing with a dull pink sheen again.
"Maaan. I can just do this instead of heeeeaaaling now. That would be fun."
[3:53 PM] Amasuro: "Whaddya mean you never succeeded with it before now? Don't all Kitsune just transform at wi- oh? Eagh." Luna is interupted as her foot accidentally kicks the body of the fallen bandit leader as she walked towards Auriel.
"Well 'least the jobs done."
[3:55 PM] Mistral: "You want to carry him?"
She grinned as she stood back up again, stretching and yawning.
"I sure doooon't....."
[4:00 PM] Amasuro: "M-me? Ugh, no, I'm not bathing in this guys blood. Just transform or something and we'll put him on your back."
Luna crossed her arms, defiant.
[4:02 PM] Mistral: "He's heavy, he'd crack my back..."
Auriel adamantly refused, shaking her head and crossing her arms
"Not happening."
[4:03 PM] Amasuro: "Flip a coin?"
[4:05 PM] Mistral: "Fine...."
[4:07 PM] Amasuro: Luna reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small coin.
"Heads or tails? Go ahead, take your pick. I feel like you're a rather unlucky person with these types of things."
[4:08 PM] Mistral: "It's aaaaall skill.... Tails."
[4:10 PM] Amasuro: The coin flicks through the air, before landing firmly on top of Luna's open palm. The tails side showing face up.
Luna muttered something silently under her breath, before looking down at the deceased man once again.
"...Do I really-?"
[4:11 PM] Mistral: "Yeeeeeaaah.... Life is hard."
Auriel stepped back from the man again, grinning.
"Come on. Im sure it will be fiiine. I can even help you."
[4:14 PM] Amasuro: Luna glared towards Auriel's grinning face.
Ugh, starting to get reeeeeal sick of that little permanent grin of hers.
"Hah, I don't need your help maid. I am the Queen of this country, and I am fully capable of carrying a body like this on my own. Observe!"
She bends down, scooping up the man from under his arms before trying to stand.
[4:16 PM] Mistral: "Woooooooooooow. Queen and Undertaker Luna to the rescue."
She giggled a bit at her own joke, before starting the walk back
"Oh yeah, you may get blood on your clothes. I'll have to wash them, wont I?"
[4:27 PM] Amasuro: "Huuuuuuuuuuff...not like you...wash them...anyway...aaaaagh this guy is heeeeeeavy-!"
Luna stumbles slightly as she walks, but continues trying to keep her posture straight.
"And why am I doing this anyway? You are supposed to be my subordinate!"
[4:32 PM] Mistral: "Not right now. Here, we are just friends. And friends help each other out."
She slightly lifted the man's legs, taking no weight of Luna's back
"Seee? Im helping."
[12:31 PM] Amasuro: "You put...yourself on the...same tier as the...Queen of...Freeeeeeyzenwaaaald..."
Luna glares at Auriel, walking slowly forwards.
"...How far back was the fort again?!"
[12:35 PM] Mistral: "Not that far. And hey, we are friends. With benefits."
[12:36 PM] Mistral: Auriel grinned, keeping Lunas pace as she walked
[12:46 PM] Amasuro: "Friends...huh...?"
Luna suddenly stops, bending down to set down the man on her back.
"You know I've been wondering about that. Who are you exactly?"
[12:47 PM] Mistral: "Auriel. Retainer to queen Lunarea of Freyzenwald. What more is there to know?"
[12:47 PM] Mistral: Her grin didnt budge. She showed no signs of giving up on her lies
[12:54 PM] Amasuro: Should I step here? ...Tch, its been a month or so and this fox maid whatever is still a blank book to me.
I should probably not be by myself when trying this, but...she might not break when I'm not alone.
"What more is there to know? Well lets go down the list!" Luna speaks dramatically, pointing at Auriel.
"First off, you come to me as a maid, yet you refuse to do any of your duties or just pretend to be downright incapable of doing them. Don't even think that I don't know that you just dump the dirty clothes off into a corner whenever you can."
[12:56 PM] Mistral: "But I was so sneaky too.... Eh, whatever. Muiri was always better than me there."
[12:56 PM] Mistral: She shrugged, sitting down again as the grin dissapeared from her face
[12:57 PM] Mistral: "So. What do you want to know?"
[1:07 PM] Amasuro: "I don't think you need me to repeat the question, but I might anyway. You're supposed to be a healer, and you pretend that you can only use staves in battle. But you showed your skill in knives with me once, and now you could even transform the whole time!"
Luna keeps her hands to her side, nearby the dagger sheathed on her back.
"So I'll ask again. Who are you?"
[1:13 PM] Mistral: "I have many names. I've known many people. If you ask them all, nobody would tell the same story. Some would call me a hero, others would call me a murderer. Some would say im a young girl, others an old woman. What is true and isnt true is impossible to discern from each other. With that in mind, do you want to try to figure out who I am?"
[1:14 PM] Mistral: Her voice tensed up, but her smug grin returned. She wasn't giving up her secrets so easily, not even to an Illia.
[1:22 PM] Amasuro: What the hell...
Luna grinned back, giving a flick of her hair, "want my honest opinion? I don't actually care about you enough to bother trying to figure out who you are."
"Nah, I care more about why you're here, and what you're capable of. You're a killer. A twisted bloodlust runs straight through your veins. Beginning this very quest proves as much."
"All I can guess, is that you're using me for something. Or, perhaps you need something to happen to me. So what is it?"
[1:30 PM] Mistral: "Heh. I thought so. You fear for your life, because you don't know what im capable of. Nor do you know what I want from you."
Auriel ejected the gem from the brooch on her neck, holding it in her right hand.
"If you want to have rational discussion, I suggest putting your sword away Illia. I wont tell you anything if you try to force it out from me with a sword. I think I am the one in more danger here, actually."
[1:32 PM] Amasuro: "My sword is sheathed safely on my hip, and I have no intention of wielding it unless threatened."
And don't you pull the victim card on me.
"Now, if you want to have a rational discussion, I will deliver. Glad to see you're finally awake."
[1:34 PM] Mistral: "Heh. Catch."
Auriel tossed the pink sapphire lightly in Luna's direction.
"Now.... Where to begin. I come from a family of servants in Nohr. I travelled here because I had an interest in you."
[1:38 PM] Amasuro: Luna keeps her glare trained at Auriel, even as she throws the pink sapphire at her. However, when she tries to catch it, she misses, the gem hitting her shoulder instead.
She stands there silent for a moment, before bending down to pick the gem up. Keeping her eyes trained on Auriel the whole time.
"Interest in me? How so?"
[1:40 PM] Mistral: Auriel chuckled a bit, as Luna picked the beaststone up again
"Wary of me even when im disarmed? Cute."
She then laid down backwards, using her tail as a makeshift pillow
"You are the leader of a kingdom. Im interested in seeing if you could do the job better than your mother."
[1:46 PM] Amasuro: "What were you to my mother? What do you know of her?"
Luna continues to ask her questions, remaining tense all the while.
[1:49 PM] Mistral: "I didn't know your mother personally. I watched her rule from afar."
Auriel yawned before continuing, still having a tense voice.
"She was.... boring. Not to my taste. I hope you can impress me more than she did."
[1:54 PM] Amasuro: "Impress...you? Look here, psycho, I don't intend to impress you with my leadership abilities. What would a bloodthirsty Kitsune like you be impressed by anyway? War? Well, you got one."
[1:58 PM] Mistral: "Eh. Im fickle. I think I will keep my tastes to myself, miss royal. Just know, you are doing good..... so far. And if I wanted to kill you, I would have already. Your children can attest to it. We visited you when you were sleeping soundly in the cavern, you know."
Auriel had a short laugh, recalling her days with Solrin and Pasach.
"That was a lot of fun. Maybe I will play with them again sometime."
[2:05 PM] Amasuro: "Tch...if you even considered harming a hair on one of my children I'll slit your throat and sell your parts to the black market."
Her face twists into something far more hostile, but it passes over quickly.
"I hope you're not expecting me to trust you with those words. Where did you come from?"
[2:09 PM] Mistral: "Nohr. I thought we established that already."
Auriel got up again, looking at Luna properly again
"Maybe I could take you there someday. We are best friends after all."
[2:14 PM] Amasuro: Luna ignores the second part of her words.
"Yes, the family of servants, I know that. What is this family, and why do they have such an interest in me? Or, rather, you. Nohr is very far away from Freyzenwald, you know. Was Hoshido not entertaining enough for you?"
[2:16 PM] Mistral: Auriel makes a noise reminiscent of a snarl, audibly annoyed by the mention of Hoshido.
"Their people disgust me. Their rulers disgust me. Their policies disgust me."(edited)
[2:17 PM] Mistral: "I hate it."
[2:32 PM] Amasuro: Oh geez, there's emotion I'm not used to seeing.
"Oh? Really now. Now what did Hoshido ever do to you," Luna grinned at Auriel, "sounds like an interesting story."
[2:33 PM] Mistral: "That we save for another time. Perhaps when you do not doubt me at every turn, or?"
Auriel calmed down again, her voice reaching its old slow pace.
"What else do you need?"
[2:37 PM] Amasuro: "Perhaps one more question. Why the persona?"
Luna eventually relaxed slightly as well, crossing her arms.
"For fun? To remove suspicion? You're definitely the worst maid I've ever seen, why pretend?"
[2:38 PM] Mistral: "What do you think?"
Her smug grin grew even wider, anticipating her answer
[2:41 PM] Amasuro: "I don't know, I think you just like screwing with people if I had to guess."
[2:44 PM] Mistral: "Let's just go with that one for now then."
She stood up again, reaching a hand out towards Luna.
"My stone, please."
[2:45 PM] Amasuro: Hmph, I guess this is all I'm getting today.
Luna tosses her stone back towards Auriel.
[2:48 PM] Mistral: Auriel catches it, and slots it back into her brooch, transforming back into her beast form.
"I'll carry him. You have probably had enough."
[2:54 PM] Amasuro: Luna flinches when she transforms, but relaxes after a moment.
"Oh? Someone's finally feeling helpful, huh? Odd, I'm not used to seeing you like this."
[2:56 PM] Mistral: "Im not used to you being so 'friendly' either. Maybe I should talk to you more often."
Auriel sat down, looking to Luna
"Well, you still have one job. Help me stabilize him, my tail can only do so much."
[2:57 PM] Amasuro: "Yeah yeah, sure. Don't bite me when I'm...not looking."
Luna bends down, picking the man up from under his arms, pushing him on top of the Kitsune.
[2:59 PM] Mistral: "I bet you would be a tasty dinner."
Auriel flinched under the weight of the man once he was properly contricted and stabilized on her back, but with a little help of magic and concentration she managed to keep him balanced above her.
"Maybe like.... I don't know. What do you like eating?"
[3:01 PM] Amasuro: "What, me? I can eat anything, really. I do have an affinity towards grilled meat, though."
She smiled to herself, "you could say I have fond memories of that particular dish. How about a meal when we get back?"
"...Don't expect this offer to be common."
[3:04 PM] Mistral: "Of course not, 'tendsure'."
Her fox face couldn't display much emotion, but the shine in her jagged fangs revealed a smile on her mouth.
"Im cooking though. Im probably better anyways."
[3:08 PM] Amasuro: ...I can just feel the smugness return. Ugh, I preferred her before.
"Heh, sure. I'll entertain your delusion for a day, I guess. I'm feeling pretty lazy anyway."
[3:09 PM] Mistral: "Pff. Giving up already?"
[3:10 PM] Amasuro: "Hmph, not everything has to be a competition. Now come, hurry along now. That body won't deliver itself."
[3:11 PM] Mistral: "When dealing with you, it has to. Respect your elders more."
[3:11 PM] Mistral: "Also, calm down. We have time."
[3:13 PM] Amasuro: Luna and Auriel's comments continue as they make their way back to the fort.
[3:13 PM] Amasuro: ==End RP==
No comments:
Post a Comment